Drier



y 1944. C. BLANCHARD ETAL DRIER Filed March 28, 1942 'lnuentors elf/721,55 E. Bmucahm and 4454527- M FE/ZKL Gttorneg Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRIER Charles E. Blanchard, Randolph, and Albert W.

Ferre, Wellesley, Mass., assignors to B. F. Sturtevant Company, Boston, Mass.

- Application March 28, 1942, Serial No. 436,578

Claims.

This invention relates to driers and relates more particularily to the provision of air seals at the points of entrance into and departure from, driers, of web material to be dried.

In tentering driers for the drying of cloth, for example, it is necessary to make provision for accommodating cloth having a number of widely differing widths. For the narrower strips the conveyors for moving the cloth into and through the drier are moved closer together, and for the wider strips, the conveyors are moved farther apart. This causes different openareas in the inlet and outlet slots in the drier through which the conveyors move, between the conveyors and on the outer'sides thereof, for each width of cloth. The drying air tends to escape through these open areas.

This invention provides air seals which accommodate themselves automatically to dilferent conveyor positions. In a preferred embodiment of the invention thin metal sheets extend from the inner sides of the conveyors above andbelow the web to be dried and are attached'at their inner ends to surfaces of centrally located cylinders which contain springs for causing the cylinders to rotate to maintain the sheets in tension. Other sheets extend from the outer sides of the conveyors and are attached to the surfaces of cylinders located at the ends of the above mentionedslots. The last mentioned cylinders also contain springs for rotating the cylinders for maintaining their associated sheets in tension. Asthe spacing between the conveyors is varied, the metal sheets are automatically moved therewith through being wound upon or unwound from the cylinders, forming air-seals for preventing the escape of-the drying'air.

The invention will now be described with referenceto the drawing, of which:

Fig. i is an endview of an air seal embodyin this invention, with the positions of the conveyors shown in dotted outline;

Fig. Zis a sectional view along the lines' 22 of Fig. 1; 1 r 4 a Fig. 3 is a sectional View along the lines 3 3 ofFig.1;

., vFig. 4. is sectional viewalo n g" theflin'es' 4- -4 thereto as is usual, the outer edge of the cloth sheet I and serve to move the sheet for drying, into, through and out of a conventional drier. The conveyors 6 are moved closer together on conventional tracks to accommodate sheets I having less width, and are moved farther apart to accommodate sheets having greater width.

The heated air in the driers is maintained under static pressure and it has been necessary heretofore to set up air sealing members by hand for each adjustment of the positions of the conveyors. This invention provides means for maintaining the air seals automatically as will now be described.

The seal illustrated by Fig. 1 is placed according to this invention, in the entrance slots into and the exit slots of conventional driers, so asto extend completely across same.

The plates 8 which are positioned below and are movable with the conveyors I, have attached to their inner edges the outer ends of the metal sheets 9. The inner ends of the sheets 9 are attached to the outer surfaces of the revolvable closed cylinders II] which are placed one on each side of the center of the entrances into and the exits from the drier. The plates8 are attached by the bolts 30 to the vertical legs of the L-shaped brackets 3|. The horizontal legs of the brackets 3| are attached by the screws 32 to the conveyor tracks 33.

The cylinders I0 revolve around the shafts II in the box I2, the shafts being attached against rotation to the box. The inner edges of the coiled springs I3 are attached to the shafts I I and their outer edges are attached to the pins I4, the ends of which are securedto the upper and lower walls of the cylinders so that the springs l3 rotate the cylinders II) for causing them to maintain tension in the metal sheets 9 so thatthe sheets are wound up on the cylinders when the conveyors are. moved towards each other andlare unwound when the conveyors. are moved farther apart.

The sheet 9 has its lower edge fitted into the lower guide bracket or track I5 as illlustrated by Fig.2. f-The plates I6 which are positioned above and are movable with the conveyors I, have attached totheir inner edges the outer edges of the metal sheets I I. The inner edges of .the sheets H are attached to the outer surfaces .of the revolvable cylinders I8 which are placed above and in'alignment with t'he cylinders..l0. The plates 16 are attached. byv the bolts..i34:'to the vertical legs of the L-shaped brackets 35. The horizontal legs of the brackets v-35 :are.'at-

i tached by the screws 36 to the conveyor tracks 33.

The cylinders I8 revolve around the shafts IS in the box 20, the shafts i8 being attached against rotation to the box. The inner edges of the coiled springs 2| are attached to the shafts l9 and their outer edges are attached to the pins 22 which are secured to the upper and lower walls of the cylinders-so that the springs 2| rotate the cylinders [8 for causing them to maintain tension in the metal sheets I1 so that the sheets I! are wound up on the cylinders l8 when the conveyors are moved towards each other and are unwound when the conveyors are moved farther apart as in the case of the sheet and the -cylinders l0.

The upper edge of the sheet I? is fitted into the upper guide bracket or track 23.

The plates 8 and it have attached to their outer edges the inner edges of the metal sheets 24. t The outer edges of the sheets-24 are attached to the surfaces of the revolvable cylinders 25 which are located in the boxes 2-5 in the endsof the 'drier entrance and'exit slots before referred to. i V

The cylinders ,25, revolve around the shafts 21 which are attached against rotation to the boxes 26. .The inner edges of the coiled springs 23 areattached-to the shafts :27 and their outer edges are attached to the pins 29 which are secured to the upper and lower walls of the cylinders 25 so that the springs 28 rotate the cylinders 25 for causing them tomaintain tension in the sheets 24 so that the sheets 2t are wound up on the cylinders 25 when the conveyors 6 are moved farther apart and are unwounded when the conveyors are moved closer together.

The upper edges 'of the-sheets 24 move within the upper guide bracets 23 and their lower edges move Within the lower guide brackets i5.

It is .seen that the coiled springs within :the cylinders cause the metal sheets automatically to move .uponmovement of the conveyors towards and away fromeajchother, to place the correct areas at all Itimes ofseal sheet, the sheets '9 and lfi'providing aseal above and below the web to be dried, between the conveyors, and the sheets .241providing a seal inthe area between the conveyors and the outer ends -.of the drier :entrance and exit slots.

While one embodiment of theinvention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact apparatus and arrangement of apparatus illustrated as modifications thereof may be suggested by those skilled in the art without, departure from the essence of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An air seal :for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and .web :move, said :tracks :being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having different widths, comprising, a pair of sheet imembers extending from said conveyors and between :same icrosswise said slot, means movable with said tracks attached to the outer ends of said members, and :means 'betweensaid conveyors and including means attached to the inner endsof said members for winding .up said members when said tracks are moved towards eachother. w i V ,2. air :seal for a drier having spaced cone veyors movable along tracks for moving web "winding up said members and for maintaining same in tension when said tracks are moved towards each other.

.3. An air .seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving Web to isbe dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and Web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling .said conveyors to accommodate webs having diiierent widths, comprising sheet members=extending from said conveyors towards the ends of said slot, means movable with said tracks attached to the inner ends of said members, and means at saidslot ends and including means attached to the outer ends of said members for winding up said members when said tracks are moved apart.

4. An air seal for :a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks -for moving Web to be driedthrough the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and -web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably Spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having difierent widths, comprising sheet members extending from said conveyors towards the ends ofv said slot, means movable with said tracks attached to the inner-ends of said members and spring biased means at said slot ends .an'd ijnoluding means attached to the outer ends or -said members for winding up said members when said track are moved apart.

5.- ;An air seal for adrier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having -a slot through which-"theconveyors and web'move said tracksybeingadapted to be, variably spaced ,for enablingsaid conveyors to accommodate webs having ydifierent widths, comprising a pair of sheetmembers extendingv from said conveyors and between same crosswise said slot, means movable with said tracks attached to the .outer ends of said members, means between said conveyors and including means "attached tofthe innerends of said members for winding %up. said members when said tracks :areymoved towards each other. {other sheet. members extending, irom said conveyorsitowards the :ends of, said slot, means movable with said :traclgs attached to the inner ends of said-last mentioned members, and means at said slot ends and including means attached to the outer :ends .of said last mentioned members for winding up said other-members when said conveyors are moved apart.

6. An air seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving-,web to be dried through the drier, and having aslot throughv which the conveyors and-web. move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said/conveyors to acconnnodate webs having different widths, comprising ;a; pair of sheet members extending from saidconveyors and between same crosswise saidslot, spring zbiasedgmeans attached to the outer ends of said members, means between said conveyors and including means attached to the inner ends of said members for winding up said members when said tracks are moved towards each other, other sheet members extending from said conveyors towards the ends of said slot, spring biased means attached to the inner ends of said last mentioned members, and means at said slot ends and including means attached to the outer ends of said last mentioned members for Winding up said other members when said conveyors are moved apart.

7. An air seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having difierent widths, comprising upper and lower sheet members extending between said conveyors crosswise said slot but spaced apart for the passage of the web therebetween, means movable with said tracks attached to the outer ends of said members, and means between said conveyors and including means attached to the inner ends of said members for winding up same when said tracks are moved towards each other.

8. An air seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having different widths, comprising upper and lower sheet members extending between said conveyors crosswise said slot but spaced apart for the passage of the web therebetween, means movable with said tracks attached to the outer ends of said members, and spring biased means between said conveyors and including means attached to the inner ends of said members for winding up same and for maintaining same in tension when said tracks are moved towards each other.

9. An air seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having different widths, comprising upper and lower sheet members extending between said conveyors crosswise said slot but spaced apart for the passage of the web therebetween, means movable with said tracks attached to the outer ends of said members, means between said conveyors and including means attached to the inner ends of said members for winding up same when said tracks are moved towards each other, other sheet members extending from said conveyors towards the 'ends of said slot, means movable with said tracks attached to the inner ends of said last mentioned members, and means at said slot ends and including means attached to the outer ends of said last mentioned members for winding up said other members when said conveyors are moved apart.

10. An air seal for a drier having spaced conveyors movable along tracks for moving web to be dried through the drier, and having a slot through which the conveyors and web move, said tracks being adapted to be variably spaced for enabling said conveyors to accommodate webs having difierent widths, comprising upper and lower sheet members extending between said conveyors crosswise said slot but spaced apart for the passage of the web therebetween, spring biased means attached to the outer ends of said members, means between said conveyors and including means attached to the inner ends of said members for winding up same when said tracks are moved towards each other, other sheet members extending from said conveyors towards the ends of said slot, spring biased means attached to the inner ends of said last mentioned members, and means at said slot ends and in cluding means attached to the outer ends of said last mentioned members for winding up said other members when said conveyors are moved apart.

CHARLES E. BLANCHARD. ALBERT W. FERRE. 

